Scars
by rae of sunshinexx
Summary: Pepper knew what she was getting into with Tony but nothing is ever quite as it seems... Movie verse. Bit spoilerish of Iron Man 2
1. Chapter 1: I'm Crossing You In Style

**This is going to be the first chapter of my Tony/Pepper story. I'm working out a villain, I'm going to have to go into my dork mode and find an Iron Man villain :)**

**Scars**

"Mr. Stark?" Those words echoed throughout her mind as she rolled back into the sheets, her head being buried into the pillow. Even in her dreams she could not escape him. Then, it rang through the silence once more. "Mr. Stark?" It was then that Pepper Potts realized it was not her voice that was calling out to Tony. And even more so, she realized that there was a grumbling beside her that was unmistakably Tony trying to wake up. "Mr. Stark-" His muffled response silenced the PA that stood at the head of the bed and the fire in her cheeks forced Pepper to hide herself away from Natalie as she left the room.

_How the hell..._All she could remember was fighting, her trying to quit Tony all together and then..._oh. _It came rushing back to her in waves and she couldn't help the smile that made it's way across her lips. "At least I got a smile out of it." His voice resonated around her and her smile only grew when she felt his lips upon her own once more. "Just trying to remember how I got here," she muttered, feeling him shift and look at her. She opened her eyes to see his brow furrowed in confusion. "There wasn't any alcohol...was there?" She couldn't help the small laugh, slowly bringing her hand to cup his cheek. "No, this was willingly. I just...forgot how I got here, that's all."

As each moment passed she could feel his eyes upon her as she stood, sheet wrapped around her, to dress. Those brown eyes that were windows, to her, into his soul never left her, or did the grin that laced his lips. It was the perfect way to start a day, and she knew it wouldn't be the last morning like this...not if she had anything to say about it.

Each portion of their day seemed mundane, contrasting greatly from the chaos that seemed to surround them recently. Breakfast, a meeting, lunch, another meeting, a phone call from Tony asking her to dinner, another meeting, and then Tony's mansion once more. Nothing seemed to phase her, Pepper only being grateful that the day had been different from past ones.

And when she returned to Tony's to find pork-chops and home fries, that were her recipe out, she had to laugh. "Jarvis help you a bit?" His smug grin told her all that she needed to know. "Actually, I did it myself." And with that, they sat at the table, small talk filling their meal as they ate. It was strange to her, having everything be so..normal, yet she couldn't help but enjoy it all.

And just as Pepper had predicted, life with Tony Stark would never remain 'simple' for the next day, Iron Man was, once again, called forth to protect the country, without his faithful Pepper Potts at his side.

**So this is the first chapter. I think I'm going to just start it off with Pepper/Tony's relationship, as stated in the end of Iron Man 2, then bring in the Avengers then I think I'm going to do the Crimson Cowl (Justine Hammer) since her dad was in the movie :) Reviews?**


	2. Chapter 2: And I Will Try To Fix You

**Scars **

**Chapter 2: And I Will Try To Fix You**

She could hear the crashing and thundering echoing from the shop. Muffled cruse words and finally, a loud bang that had Pepper up and running before she could think. Asleep on the couch, as she always was when Tony was out on a mission, she heard everything that happened as he reentered the Malibu mansion. Now, she only wished she hadn't for she ran down the stairs to find Tony on the ground, his breathing labored as he looked at her, the suit a mangled mess at his side. "Tony?" She screamed as she moved towards him, the blood dripping from his cut that disfigured his once flawless cheek. "What happened?" She cried as she could see him fighting consciousness, and all he managed to reply was "Hammer."

"JARVIS, what is his condition?" She knew that she had limited resources in the shop but she also knew that Tony would kill her if she took him to the hospital. _Well if I don't take him, then his irrational fear of the hospital will kill him..._As the A.I. took Tony's vitals and began assessing the situation, Pepper could only sit by with bated breath. What was she to do if she couldn't save him? She'd only just gotten him and now she'd have to give him away? Could he not live for a week without having a death sentence over his head? "_Mr. Stark has two broken ribs, three deep cuts that have the ability to heal themselves with the proper cleaning and bandages, and severe exhaustion, but a hospital will not be needed, Miss Potts._" She laughed despite herself, knowing that the A.I. was programed to reflect Tony's interest but, by what JARVIS said, there was only a little anyone could do. The ribs could be set in place and then he would have to let them heal. The cuts, Pepper could tend to. But the exhaustion was what she let fix itself first. When he awoke, she'd take him to the hospital against his complaints and then she'd ask him exactly what happened.

She could feel him stirring beneath her touch as she tried to finish up cleaning his cuts and bandaging them, looking into the deep brown of his eyes as he looked up at her. "What happened?" He muttered as he tried to lean forward, only wincing in pain and having Pepper help him back down. "You passed out after you returned from your mission. You said something about 'Hammer' and nothing more. You have broken ribs so, once I'm finished with your cuts, you're going to the doctors to get them reset. And before you say anything, you can at least give me this. When I wake up to find you broken and bruised on the floor, I think I have the right to at least force you to go to the doctor's to fix your wounds." He nodded, not having the heart to fight her or to tell her exactly what happened.

In silence, Pepper helped Tony stand so that they could make their way to the cars that littered the shop, Pepper deciding to drive rather than calling and forcing Happy to come and take them. With each step, Tony winced, further proving her point that he needed to go to the hospital and still, Tony would not fight her. She didn't know why he was being so corporative or why she didn't even received one remark about him having to go to the hospital and, in all honesty, it frightened her. Slowly, she opened the passenger door to the car and helped Tony slide in, the pain forcing him to grunt as he finally was able to sit. Pepper ran to the other side and got into the driver's seat and without another word, she began making her way down the Pacific Coast Highway.

"Are you going to tell me what you meant by 'Hammer' or am I just going to have to find out on my own when it's on the news?" He turned to her, the look in his eyes were something she'd never seen before, embarrassment. "It wasn't Justin. It was Justine." She supposed that he thought she was going to laugh, that something was going to force her to lose all of her dignity and laugh at the fact that he was beaten up by a female. He obviously still didn't know Pepper very well. "How did she do this to you?" He shook his head, looking out until the road without another road and she knew that she wouldn't get her answer, at least not then.

The rest of the ride was spent in silence as the two of them risked sideways glances that the other, not having the nerve to speak. As Pepper turned into the hospital, Tony managed to get himself out of the car and slowly began walking to the automatic doors alone. "I'll be out as soon as I'm done," he muttered, leaving Pepper to stand alone. _All because I asked about Hammer? And who's Justine?_ All new questions were forming in her mind, ones that were only furthering her confusion and it took all of her might not to walk into the building and interrogate him right there.

**Okay so it's a bit longer :) Next Chapter I'm going to explain some things about Justine Hammer. Review and tell me what you think?**


	3. Chapter 3: Holes in My Jacket

**Scars**

**Chapter 3: Holes in My Jacket**

Silence. That's what she gave him, silence. The doctor's had prescribed him bed rest, which, at first had Tony complaining like there was no tomorrow but then, his old playboy antics reared their ugly heads and that cocky smile found it's way to his lips. "Shouldn't be that bad, right Peps?" Still, silence. She had come in with him to the hospital after all, knowing better than anyone that he would walk in for a few moments and turn back around, saying the doctors told him he was fine. It amazed her that he found her that idiotic, to think that she'd actually believe him. That was one of their key flaws. They both underestimated the other, Tony thinking that Pepper would never figure out his conniving ways and Pepper believing that Tony would never change, for Tony had all the intention of going in and letting the doctors give him the once over. But that would never change. Even if they both proved the other wrong. It was just the way they viewed each other. Tony would always respect Pepper but she'd never be up to his level in intelligence and Pepper would always value Tony's efforts but he would always go back to whatever Tony wanted to do and never do what Pepper _needed _Tony to do.

Still, silence. She would barely look at him as they drove home, Pepper keeping her eyes on the road before her rather than the frustration of a man that was currently seated next to her. The flaws of their relationship were never clearer to her than in the midst of her angry. Their stubbornness of trying to remain true to themselves rather than helping one another, their insufferable need to ruin anything worth while in their lives. It was just how they were, how they'd always be. Pepper Potts was destined to live a life of misery in order to make Tony's one of pleasure.

Each flaw was presented itself perfectly before her as she pulled into the garage, her romantic outlook upon love contrasted so greatly with his 'realistic' gaze upon everything. Her obvious need for independence fighting against his overbearing and overprotective personality. All of it sudden shoved itself in her face and she couldn't deny it. Not when she helped him out of the car and up to 'their' room. Not when Tony tried to get her to join him in bed. Not when she finally realized her arm from his grip and walked towards the door. And definitely not the loud rumble of thunder did nothing to hinder her decision to get as far away from the house as she could on foot.

She began making her way down to the beach without another look at the house, letting Stark manor become a distant figure behind her. She didn't care when the lightening began to strike. She didn't care when the first few rain drops began to fall. She let the rain fall through the holes of her jacket, the holes that were made by Tony Stark.

She didn't know how long she sat there before something caught her attention. It wasn't as if she could hear him over the rumble of the storm above. All she could hear was the cracks of lighting and the barreling of the thunder. Yet something made her turn around. Something made her look as Tony made his way towards her. "You're supposed to be on bed rest," she screamed, moving towards him and quickly trying to usher him back towards the house. She should have known better. It was one of the many flaws she had dissected earlier, Tony's stubbornness. "Yeah and you're pissed about something and going to join me on bed rest if you don't come inside because you're going to catch something." She had to laugh, whenever Tony was peeved he made no sense. What her being angry had to do with her getting sick was beyond her but she put it behind her, her defiance taking center stage as she crossed her arms and dared him to try and fight her. "So what's it to you? You don't tell me anything anymore so why would you care if I was angry or I would get sick from being out in the rain." The rain pelted against them as he steadily moved closer, Pepper stepping back with every one of his advancing steps. "I don't tell you the things that make you worry. I don't tell you the things that would only add stress to your already hectic life. I don't tell you the things that I want to carry on my own because I'm embarrassed that I can't stop them from happening. I didn't tell you I was dying because I couldn't stop it. I couldn't find a cure. And I didn't want to let you down. I haven't explained what happened last night because I'm not sure what to do. I don't know if I can stop her, or if there's even a possibility that I'll make it out alive if I fight her again. I didn't tell you about what happened because I don't want you to see me as anything but the Tony you know. I don't want you to see me as a broken man." She never heard sincerity like that come from Tony in all her years of knowing him. She'd never heard him say anything that was moving and destructive all at once. She'd never heard him being honest.

It didn't take her long to make up her mind. She was over and closing the gap between them before she could remember what had started everything and when she felt him pulling back slightly out of pain, it dawned on her why she had initially been angry. "You're supposed to be in bed," she said with a smile, Tony's smile growing. "And don't think there is thing more than resting going to be going on when you get back to the house. You can barely move, I think it's safe to say that laying down is about all you can do in a bed." He smiled as he turned around, his head turned towards her as he spoke. "You'd be surprised."

**What do you guys think? Eh?**


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